Counting device



May 13, 1947. J. G. EVERHART COUNTING DEVICE Filed uovfze, 1944 2Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR I Mm; 0'. [Vi/6944 97 A770? ix May 13, 1947-. J;G..EVERHART COUNTING DEVICE Filed Nov. 29, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .7 my0. a

Patented May 13, 1947 COUNTING DEVICE James G. Everhart, Zanesville,Ohio, assignor to Line Material Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporationof Delaware Application November 29, 1944, Serial No. 565,767

2 Claims. (01. 235-92) 1 2 This invention relates to a counting deviceand Figure 2 is a face view of one form of magnetic is particularlydirected to a device for counting register.

the number of turns of wire being wound on a coil, such as the coilassembly of a transformer or other magnet coil.

Objects of this invention are to provide a counting device which willrecord the number of turns of wire being wound on a coil and which is somade that it will either subtract any turns which are unwound from thecoil, if such unwinding should be necessary, or else will record boththe number of turns wound on the coil and the number of turns unwoundfrom the coil.

Further objects are to provide a counter having the characteristics setforth above which combines a selector switch responsive to the directionof rotation of the coil With an electronic counting system which is somade that it is controlled from a beam of light related to the coil insuch a manner that a pulse is transmitted through the electronic counterfor each revolution of the coil, without requiring contact with thecoil.

In greater detail, further objects are to provide the combination of alight source, an electronic counter, an electromagnetic recorder, andselector means to secure positive and negative operations of theelectromagnetic recorder corresponding to the winding of wire on thecoil or the unwinding of Wire from the coil.

Further objects are to provide a counting device for any desired use inwhich a thyratron is employed and controlled by vacuum tubes and inwhich switch means are provided for interrupting the plate current ofthe thyratron only after a complete operation of an electromagneticrecorder, to thus positively insure completion of the operation of therecorder for each pulse passing to the thyratron.

Further objects are to provide a counting device which is controlleddirectly from a unitary part of the coil assembly or coil structure, sothat if slipping of the coil assembly or coil structure with referenceto the winding machine occurs, no false counting will take place.

Embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic View showing the electrical system employedin one form of counter.

Figure 3 is a face view of a further form of magnetic register.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view of a modified form that the counter maytake.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view showing a portion of a winding machinewith the selector switch operatively coupled thereto.

Figure 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-45 of Figure 5.

Referring to Figure 1, it will be seen that the counter is so arrangedthat a source of light indicated by the reference character I is adaptedto concentrate, by means of a lens 2, a beam of light on a narrowreflecting strip 3 placed on the end edge of a shell or sleeve 4 onwhich a magnetic coil is being wound. The reflecting strip may be anarrow strip of silver paper cemented on the end edge of the sleeve 4,as shown in Fig. 5, or may be of any other suitable material. The beamof reflected light is concentrated by means of a lens 5 onto aphotoelectric cell 6. The photoelectric cell has an anode 1 and a lightsensitive cathode 8 or may be of any of the usual types.

The photoelectric cell is adapted to control the first vacuum tube 9 inthe system. This vacuum tube is preferably a sharp cut-off type of tubeand is provided with an indirectly heated cathode It, a control grid H,a screen grid l2, a suppressor grid l3, and a plate M. The plate issupplied from any suitable source of direct current through a resistorl5. The positive terminal of the source of high voltage direct currentis indicated by the reference character l5, the negative terminal by thereference character H. A suitable source of current is supplied thefilament 1 8 of the vacuum tube. The positive and negative terminals ofthe high voltage source of supply are connected by means of apotentiometer arrangement indicated generally by the reference character19 so that suitable voltages may be impressed upon the screen grid i2and the anode l of the photoelectric cell 5. The cathode I t of the tube:9 is preferably connected at such a point as to produce a negative biason the control grid I I provided there is no energization of thephotoelectric cell 6 to thus provide for either substantially reducingthe current flowing in the plate circuit or else completely stoppingsuch current flow. An amplifier tube has its control grid 2! connectedto the plate l4 of the tube 9 by means of a blocking condenser 22, agrid leal; resistor 23 and a cathode resistor 24 being con nected to thenegative terminal 1?. The cathode and the plate of the amplifier tube 29are respectively indicated by the reference characters 25 and 26. Theplate 25 of the amplifier tub 26 is connected through a resistor 2'!with the positive terminal i5.

A thyratron is controlled from the amplifier tube and is indicated at'28. Its control grid 29 is connected by means of a blocking condenser30 with the plate 26 of the tube 23, a suitable grid leak resistor 3ibeing connected between the grid 29 and the negative terminal 32. Thethyratron is preferably supplied from a separate high voltage Source ofcurrent, the negative terminal 32 of which is preferably connected tothe negative terminal I? of the first source of high voltage current.The positive terminal of such second high voltage source is indicated bythe reference character 33. The cathode 34 of the thyratron is connectedat a suitable point to the potentiometer 35 connected between theterminals 32 and 33 so as to provide a suitable negative voltage for thecontrol grid 29.

The terminal 33 is connected through a resistor 38 with one side of eachof the two coils 37 and 38 of an electromagnetic counter or registerindicated generally by the reference character 39. This electromagneticcounter is adapted to 0pterate one or the other of a pair of armaturesso that one armature records a plus count and the other armaturesubtracts from this plus count, depending on which of the two coils 3'!or 38 is energized. This type of register is indicated at 39' in Figure2.

If desired the register may take the form indicated at 39" in Figure 3and may have a positive scale 48 and a negative scale 4! forrespectively registering the number of positive or negative counts. Asstated, any suitable type of electromagnetic register can be employed.

The means for determining which of the two coils 31 or 33 shall beenergized may take the form of the selector switch indicated generallyby the reference character 42 in Figure 1. This selector switch consistsof a movable switch arm 43 which is adapted to engage either thestationary contact 4 or the stationary contact 45, depending on whetherthe coil is rotated in a positive direction to wind wire thereon or in anegative direction to unwind wire therefrom. If it is assumed, forinstance, that the positive direction of rotation of the coil is asindicated by the arrow at the left-hand side of Figure 1, it may beassumed that the direction of rotation of the selector switch arm 43 isin the direction indicated by the arrow at the right-hand side ofFigure 1. The selector switch is so arranged that it is held inengagement with the stationary contact 44 as long as the coil is rotatinin a direction to wind wire thereon. Consequently the magnet coil 38 ofthe registering counter will be the one energized whenever the thyratron28 fires as the selector switch arm 43 will maintain the magnet coil 38in electrical connection with the plate 43 of the thyratron 23. On theother hand, if the wire is unwound from the coil, that is to say, if theshell 4 is rotated in the reverse direction from that shown by the arrowin Figure 1, the selector switch is so made that it will move into andremain in engagement with the stationary contact as and the subtractingmagnet coil 4 3! will then be in electrical connection with the plate 46of the thyratron 28 so that each time the thyratron fires, one countwill be subtracted from the counter 39 or register on the negative scaleof the counter 39".

The filament 41 of the amplifier tube 26 and the filament 18 of thefirst tube 9 may be heated from the same source if desired. It ispreferable to have a separate source for heating the filament 48 of thethyratron 28.

Any suitable type of coil winding machine can be employed, for instancethat shown in Patent No. 2,305,999 of December 22, 1942, issued to A. G.Steinmayer et al. for Method and machine for winding coils. This coilwinding machine may be arranged to rotate the shell or sleeve 4 in themanner set forth in the above noted patent, suitable rollers 49 beingprovided for carrying the flange 50 of the shell. From some rotatingportion of this machine, for example from one of the rollers 49, a shaft5| may project. This shaft is operatively coupled by means of a frictiondevice with the selector switch arm 43. This friction device maycomprise an insulating disk 52 loosely mounted on the shaft 5| and incontact with the collar 53 rigid on such shaft. The disk 52 may haverigidly attached thereto a wear plate 54 against which a friction member55 is urged by means of the spring 55. The friction member 55 is looselysplined as indicated at 51 to the shaft 5i, so that it rotates with suchshaft.

t is apparent, therefore, that when the shaft rotates in the directionindicated for the positive winding of wire on the shell 4, the switcharm 43 will be moved to the right as viewed in Figure 6 and held inengagement with the stationary contact 44 as long as wire is being woundon the shell 4. However, if the direction rotation of the shell isreversed, the selector switch arm 43 will move over into contact withthe stationary contact 45.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: Assuming that the shell 4is being rotated in a positive direction to wind wire thereon, it isapparent that as the reflecting spot or strip 3 passes the positionshown in Figure 1, a beam of light will be thrown onto the photoelectriccell 6 and will cause current to flow in the plate circuit of the tube9. This will cause a negative pulse to be imparted to the control grid2| of the amplifier tube 2!], thus reducing the current flow in theplate circuit of such amplifier tube and causing a positive pulse to betransmitted to the control grid 29 of the thyratron 28. This will causethe thyratron 28 to fire and consequently will cause energization of thepositive cOuntlng magnet coil 38. The magnetic register or counter 39 isso arranged that when the coil 38 is energized, it closes the switchindicated by the reference character 58 and this switch is arranged toconnect the plate 46 of the thyratron with one side of a condenser 59,the other side of the condenser being connected to the cathode 34 of thethyratron. In view of the fact that a dropping resistor 36 is in theplate circuit of the thyratron 28, it is clear that the voltage betweenthe plate and the cathode 34 will momentarily drop to approximately azero value as the condenser 53 begins charging. This will interrupt theplate fiow through the thyratron, though the thyratron is supplied withdirect current. The thyratron will not restrike as the effect of theinitiating pulse on its grid has ceased. The positive counting magnetcoil 38 will thus be deenergized and no further current flow will occurin the plate circuit of the thyratron. A suitable leak resistor 60 isbridged around the condenser 59. The time constant of the circuitconsisting of the condenser 53 and resistor 60 is sufliciently small soas to allow the requisite rapidity of operation of the system, that isto say, the time constant of the resistor and condenser combination ismuch less than the period for one revolution of the shell 4. A switch53, similar to the switch 58, is provided for the coil 31.

It is apparent, as has been previously described, that if wire isunwound from the coil 4, the selector switch will connect the negativecounting magnet coil 31 in the plate circuit of the thyratron 28 andthis will either cause a subtracting in the total count for theelectromagnetic counter indicated in Figure 2 or the registering of thenegative count on the scale 41 of the electromagnetic cotmter shown inFigure 3.

The invention may take other forms. For instance, the thyratronindicated at El may be substituted for the thyratron 28. In this systemthe same selector switch arrangement is employed as that previouslydescribed. However, a resistor 62 is connected between the high voltageterminal 33 and the selector switch arm 43. The stationary contact M isconnected to one side of the positive counting magnet coil 63 and thestationary contact 45 is connected to one side of the negative countingmagnet coil 64. The switches 65 and 65 associated with the magnet coils63 and 5 2 are normally closed and are temporarily opened whenever theirrespective magnet coils are energized. The switch 65 or the switch 66,depending on which coil is being energized, is arranged to open theplate circuit of the thyratron SI and thus interrupt current flowthrough the thyratron so that the thyratron will come back to itsinitial condition ready for the next impulse.

Obviously any suitable type of thyratron could be employed in eitherform of the invention. In the form shown in Figure 4 a screen grid typeof thyratron is shown, the screen grid being indicated by the referencecharacter 68 and the control grid by the reference character 69. Thescreen grid in the form shown in Figure 4 may be connected to thecathode as indicated or may be connected at any suitable point betweenthe positive and negative terminals 33 and 32, depending upon theconditions of operation desired.

It will be seen that a novel form of counter has been provided which isof extremely simple construction, which utilizes a thyratron to controlthe magnet coils of an electromagnetic counter, and which thoughemploying direct current in the plate circuit of the thyratronnevertheless is so constructed that it mechanically stops the flow ofcurrent in the plate circuit of the thyratron after firing of thethyratron has once been initiated but only after the electromagneticcounter has executed one complete operation. This invention, therefore,secures a sufficient length of time for the current flow from the lasttube to insure operation of the electromagnetic counter and also enablesthe relatively heavy current carrying thyratron to be used althoughdirect current is supplied its plate circuit.

It will be seen further that the counter can be operated at very rapidrates with assurance of an accurate count.

It is to be noted also that by the combining of the selector switch withthe electromagnetic portion of the counting system a positive and anegative count can be had to thus allow the operator to unwind turnsfrom the magnet coil being formed on the winding machine with assurancethat the counter will accurately register the total number of remainingturns or will indicate the total number of positive turns and the totolnumber of turns to be subtracted therefrom.

Although the counting device has been described and illustrated asapplied to the counting of the number of turns of wire wound on a coil,it could be used for other purposes and is not to be limited solely to acoil counter except when so limited in the claims.

If it is desired to have the counting occur on the interruption of alight beam instead of on the initiation of the light beam as shown, thiscould easily be accomplished by adding an amplifying tube like the tube20 of Figure 1 and connecting it in cascade to the tube 20 by blockingcondensers and resistances as has been shown for the tube 20.

Also, it is obvious if the desirable features of the thyratron were notdesired a suitable grid controlled vacuum tube could be substituted forthe thyratron. In this case the switches 58 and 58 of Figure l, 65 and66 of Figure 2, would be omitted. However, the selector switch 42 wouldstill be employed.

The use of the thyratron is preferred, for the thyratrons plate currentis arranged to continue flowing until it is stopped by the completion ofthe operation of the electromagnetic counter. This insures a completeand positive operation of the electromagnetic counter even at a veryhigh rate of counting.

It will be seen further that a counting system has been provided by thisinvention which has a powerful effect sufiicient to operate any of theusual electromagnetic registering counting devices although the systememploys only a small number of tubes.

It is to be understood that although thyratrons have been specificallydescribed that they are to be regarded as merely one of any suitableform of trigger type space discharge device.

The expression light is intended to cover either visible or invisiblelight, and the reflecting member 3 is merely one example of means forcontrolling the beam of light,

Although this invention has been described in considerable detail, it isto be understood that such description is intended as illustrativerather than limiting, as the invention maybe variously embodied and isto be interpreted as claimed.

I claim:

1. An electronic counting device comprising a revoluble member,initiating means for initiating electrical impulses in accordance withthe revolutions of said revoluble member, electronic means controlledfrom said impulse initiating means, electromagnetic means controlledfrom said electronic means and arranged to selectively count in apositive or negative sense, and selector switch means responsive to thedirection of rotation of said revoluble member and arranged to determinethe sense in which the electromagnetic counting means will count, saidimpulse initiating means and said selector switch means being separatemeans.

2. An electronic counting device comprising a revoluble member,initiating means for initiating electrical impulses in accordance withthe revolutions of said revoluble member, electronic means controlledfrom said impulse initiating means, electromagnetic means controlledfrom said electronic means and having a positive and.

7 8 a negative counting portion and arranged to selectively count in a.positive or negative sense, UNITED STATES PATENTS and selector switchmeans responsive to the di- Number Name Date rection of rotation of saidrevoluble member ar- 1 455,795 Logan May 22, 1923 ranged to selectivelydirect the impulses to said 5 492,319 Copeland 27, 1924 positive ornegative counting portion of said eleo- 1 938 684 Bond et a1 12, 1933trcmagnetic means and arranged to determine 2:049376 Hertwig et aL July28, 1936 the sense in which the electromagnetic counting 2150775 MolesMan 14 1939 means Will count, said impulse initiating means 2 266862Hardey Dec 1941 and said selector switch means being separate 1o means.OTHER REFERENCES JAMES EVERHART' Millman 8; Seely, Electronics, 1stedition, 1941,

REFERENCES CITED McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, N. Y. Pages 334 and435.

The following references are of record in the 15 file of this patent:

